302 Chap. 3 3. An Expofttion tapon the Book. of J o Vert: t 7. by Ba/ak,to curie theppeopleof God : And though the Lord Cent his Angell to bean adverfary to him:in his way (verf. 2 z,) fo that his Afie turned out of the wayinto the field, yet Balaan went on in his purpofe, yea. though the Angell 'landingbetween two walls canted his- Alfe to turne fo fuddenly, that the.crülht Balaams.foot againfl the wall (verj 25,) yet Balaam went on in his purpofe : Once more though the Angell went further and flood in a narrowway, where there was no way to turne to the right hand nor to the left, fo that the poor Atlè fell down.under him (v, z7.) and fpekng (as the Apo(lle Peterexpreffethit, a Epift; :2.) "pith man! voyce rebuked themadnefj'of the Prophet; Yetío madhe.was that all there.checksand warnings, could not . withdrawhim from hispurpofe. And what the Lord did at:that time to Balaam by anAngell, that he doth byfome other means andprovidences to flop many from their evil! purpofes, who yet will not be flopt. He fpeaks to them in theminrliry of his word, helpeaks tothem in his works ; he spreads their way with roles, he hedgethup-theirway with thorns, he befloweth fweer.mercies upon them,he fends fbarp affliélions upon them,to withdraw them . from their evil! proje66s and purpofes, yet on they goe like Ba- Llaam, unleife he fendmore anAngell, evenhis holySpirit to withdraw them. Lafily , ,Elihu reports'ìt as afpeciall favour of God to with- .draw.man from his purpofe. Whence note. It is a, great mercy to be hinder'd in finfull purpofes¿nd in- tendment.c, r Difappointments are a&s'ofgrace, When we are aing againlf grace ; If God flop us from doing evill, not onely by his word, but by blowes, or by a hedge of thorns, yea if he flopus by a drawn fword, it is a great mercy. Though God throw us to the ground (ashedid Saul, afterwards Paul, when he went with a bloody purpofe to vexand perfecute the Saints (Aids 9. ) let us count our felves exalted , and rejoyce in it more then in any worldly exaltation. 'Tis a rich mercy to bekept from executing an evill purpofe , though by our ovine poverty and outward mi- fery. The doing of that whichis finfull, is worfe then any thing that can .be done to-us, or enduredby us, as a.flop againflfin. Sin 'bath
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